Facebook opens new London HQ, create 800 new jobs

LONDON: Facebook has this morning cut the red ribbon of its new London office, home to the tech giant’s biggest engineering hub outside the US.

Located in Rathbone Place, Facebook has said its new building will be home to 800 new jobs – meaning the total number of staff working for Facebook in the UK will now creep over 2,300.

The London office will house the business’s first in-house startup incubator, LDN_LAB, and more than half of the people employed in the new office will focus on engineering.

Chancellor Philip Hammond said the choice of location was “a sign of confidence in our country that innovative companies like Facebook invest here, and it’s terrific news that they will be hiring 800 more highly skilled workers next year”.

Designed by architect Frank Gehry, the 247,000 square feet office includes seven floors and a new public square just off Oxford Street. On top of the 800 tech jobs it will create, Facebook says the building and fitting of the new space created 400 construction jobs.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan added: “The launch of the company’s incubator is set to play a crucial role in attracting vital talent to London, and will help to pave the way for the next generation of successful startups.”

LDN_LAB will invite UK-based startups to take part in three-month long programmes to help kick-start their business. Facebook experts in areas such as engineering, product and partnerships will help mentor these entrepreneurs.